Philippine House to Hold Public Plenary Debates on 2027 Budget Amendments

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers on Monday said plenary discussions on proposed amendments to the P7.2-trillion 2027 budget will be open to the public. The Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee will soon convene to hammer out proposed tweaks to House Bill No. 10858. “There are no amendments to the proposed 2027 budget that are not for public consumption,” House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement. He added that the plenary discussions would be live-streamed and made available to the public. “We want to ensure that the budget is transparent and accountable to the people,” Romualdez said. He also said that the House would prioritize the budget amendments that would benefit the poor and marginalized sectors of society. “We will ensure that the budget is inclusive and equitable,” he added. For his part, House Majority Floor Leader Jose Luis Montemayor Jr. said that the public should also be vigilant and participate in the budget deliberations. “The people should also be watchful and provide their inputs and suggestions to the budget amendments,” Montemayor said. He added that the House would consider all inputs from the public in the budget deliberations. “We will listen to the people and ensure that the budget is responsive to their needs,” he said. The proposed 2027 budget is P7.2 trillion, an increase of P740 billion or 11.4 percent from the P6.46 trillion 2026 budget. Of the proposed P7.2 trillion, P3.05 trillion is allocated for capital outlays, P2.2 trillion for personnel services, and P1.95 trillion for maintenance and other operating expenses. The proposed budget is expected to be approved by the House by October and by the Senate by December. The budget will then be signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by December 31.